Incidents of the War: Humorous, Pathetic, and DescriptiveBurnett, Alfred
History
Incidents of the War: Humorous, Pathetic, and Descriptive
Burnett, Alfred
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Anecdotes
Going into Battle -- Letter to the Secesh -- General
Garfield, Major-General Rosecrans's Chief of Staff --
General Lew Wallace -- The Siege of Cincinnati -- Parson
Brownlow -- Colonel Charles Anderson.
GOING INTO BATTLE.
Many wonder if men wear their coats and knapsacks, and carry blankets,
when going into battle. That depends upon circumstances. Sometimes,
when marching, they find themselves in battle when they least expect
it. Upon such occasions, soldiers drop every thing that is likely to
incommode them, and trust to luck for the future.
Many wonder if regiments fire regularly, in volleys, or whether each
man loads and fires as fast as he can. That, also, depends upon
circumstances. Except when the enemy is near, the regiments fire only
at the command of their officers.
You hear a drop, drop, drop, as a few of the skirmishers fire,
followed by a rattle and a roll, which sounds like the falling of a
building, just as you may have heard the brick walls at a fire.
Sometimes, when a body of the enemy's cavalry are sweeping down upon a
regiment to cut it to pieces, the men form in a square, with the
officers and musicians in the center. The front rank stand with
bayonets charged, while the second rank fires as fast as it can.
Sometimes they form in four ranks deep--the two front ones kneeling,
with their bayonets charged, so that, if the enemy should come upon
them, they would run against a picket-fence of bayonets. When they
form this way, the other two ranks load and fire as fast as they can.
Then the roar is terrific, and many a horse and rider go down before
the terrible storm of leaden hail.
LETTER TO THE SECESH.
My Dear Rebs: Having just learned that Vicksburg has gone up--Port
Hudson caved--Jackson surrendered--Bragg unwell--I thought I would ask
you a few questions, for instance:
How are you, any how?
How does "dying in the last ditch" agree with your general health?
How is the Constitution down your way?
Do you think there is any Government?
How is King Kotting?
Is Yancey well and able to hold his oats?
Has Buckner taken Louisville yet?
I understand Tilghman _has quit_ hanging Union men.
Is Floyd still _rifling_ cannon, and other small arms?
How is the Southern heart?
Are you still able to whip five to one?
What is your opinion of the Dutch race?
When will England and France recognize you?
What have you done with the provisional government of Kentucky?
Where is the Louisville-Bowling-Green-Nashville-Atlanta _Courier_
published now? Say--
What do you think of yourselves any how?
A prompt answer will relieve many anxious hearts.
Yours, in a horn,
A Lincoln Man.
GENERAL GARFIELD, MAJOR-GENERAL ROSECRANS'S CHIEF OF STAFF.
The rather brilliant career of the General is worthy of a more
extended notice than I have room for.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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